Are you a Pennsylvanian with a disability? Share your story about COVID-19 and YOU.
Coronavirus or COVID-19 is a new illness. This sickness affects the lungs and may feel like the flu. It has spread around the world, which makes the Coronavirus or COVID-19 a pandemic. It is very contagious. That means people can get sick easily when they come in contact with other people’s germs. This might happen when someone sneezes, coughs, or leaves their germs on things. To stay safe and healthy, people are wearing masks, washing their hands often, and staying at home (quarantine).
The Institute on Disabilities wants to hear about how the Coronavirus has been affecting you over the past few months. We want to hear how you have been, what has been good and what could be better.
You can share your story 1 of 2 ways:
- Write your story in the form below.
- Send your story to Eva Weiss, IOD Research Associate at k.eva.weiss@temple.edu, 215-204-7177 (voicemail). or 215-204-1805 (TTY).
Examples
Story 1
My name is Liz Weintraub and I am a person with an intellectual and developmental disability. I am from Rockville, MD. The COVID-19 emergency has me working from home. I am worried about getting help from staff coming into my home while ‘stay home, saves lives.’ I need information about COVID-19 to be in plain language as its hard for me to understand and feel safe during these hard times if information is not accessible.
– Liz Weintraub
Story 2
We are lucky. Because of HCBS, two wonderful ladies come to our apartment and help Frank. By helping him, Frank’s personal care attendants (PCAs) are also helping me because their presence means that I can work. We are under a stay at home order, we are supposed to be staying at least 6 feet away from people we don’t live with, so we wondered – would they show up? On the other hand, if they show up, is it safe to let them in? Will they bring the virus into our apartment without even knowing it? But if we don’t let them in, how will Frank get out of bed? Is it even fair to ask them to leave their homes and families to come to our home? These are some of the questions that have been keeping us up at night. Frank and I don’t know all the answers, but we do know one thing. His personal care attendants have continued to show up for us, every day since this pandemic began. They are our heroes.
– Jamie Ray-Leonetti
More information and resources on the Coronavirus/COVID-19
If you have questions, please contact Eva at k.eva.weiss@temple.edu, 215-204-7177 (phone), or 215-204-1805 (TTY).